Life in supermarkets has changed, but not just for the customers (Image: Getty Images)

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While our high streets are quieter than ever, supermarkets have been hugely busy since the UK began to feel the full force of coronavirus.

Between empty shelves, panic buying, and queues to get through the door, the once mundane weekly shop has become an alien experience for many.

But one constant throughout the madness has been the friendly faces manning our supermarkets - the essential workers making sure the people of Wales are fed.

Whether it's delivering, replenishing stock, or just offering some help, the workers - both temporary and permanent - have become the unsung heroes of the pandemic.

The shelves in many supermarkets were completely bare before lockdown (Image: Steffan Rhys)

Claire Sebburn, 43, is a manager at Morrisons in Brecon.

"There's only one word to describe what it's been like; 'weird'," she said.

"It's calmed down a bit now but it was chaos.

"We had the panic buying at the start and that seemed to come out of the blue, there was no real reason for it.

"I don't know whether people thought the shops were going to shut, or they wouldn't be able to leave or what but the things that people were panic buying was so bizarre - why toilet roll?"

Claire Sebburn is a manager at Morrisons in Brecon (Image: Claire Sebburn)

Claire said that one of the biggest challenges was frustrations from customers not being able to get certain products when panic buying began.

"I think they sometimes think that we're hiding things out the back. If we have it then they'll be on the shop floor. It got to the point that things were going straight from the lorries to the shop floor basically.

"Customers were so eager to get their hands on things they were actually helping us pull them off the trolley."

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Claire usually manages the bakery counter in the store but due to all fresh counters being closed, her role has changed.

"One of biggest changes has been how staff are managing in different ways. We've got people manning the queues, doing head counts etc - all stuff we've not had to do before.

"It's still really busy now, although it's managed. We're letting around a third of the amount of people we'd usually let into the store just to make sure social distancing can still be done.

"Most people are definitely maintaining social distance although you do end up seeing some people coming back every day which is frustrating".

Nathan Evans has been the store manager of the Co-op in Burry Port for three years. He said that while things had settled down now, the period before lockdown where official advice was limited was a struggle

(Image: Nathan Evans)

"You could never imagine what it was like when all of this first started, it was manic," he said.

"At the time it was before lockdown had been announced so there wasn't that much advice being given out about how to handle it but as the manager you have to be the person to put things in place for your store.

"The team have all been amazing, everyone has been working so hard and we've all learned to adapt amazingly.

"In Burry Port we have lots of people who perhaps can't get to bigger stores so we would be explaining that to people who were panic buying - some people really rely on us."

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He added: "The company have done a really good job at making sure that everything is back in stock and returning to normal now. We think more grocery items like tins might be more of an ongoing thing because obviously companies are working differently now.

"As human beings we adapt and I think both the staff and our customers have done so well.

"At first it was really daunting and scary, but to be honest in many ways it's really brought the community together and I hope it continues."

Gemma Gunning, 40, has worked in Sainsbury's Colchester Avenue in Cardiff for 12 years. (Image: Gemma Gunning)

Gemma Gunning, 40, has worked in Sainsbury's Colchester Avenue in Cardiff for 12 years. But due to lockdown, she's gone from serving plates in the cafe to stacking shelves on the shop floor.

"It's really different. Right at the start things were quite stressful, everyone was panicking a bit but it's calmed down a bit now.

"It's still really busy, it's like Christmas every day - the customers are definitely still coming.

"Social distancing is all in place now which has made things better than at the start, we've got all of the screens and things up.

"I suppose you do get some customers that are rude but generally everyone has been great.

"Morale has been a bit down among us, a lot of people have been off self-isolating and things like that but everyone is pulling together.

"We're all doing things we haven't done before - it's not our normal day job."

Catherine Wiggins has returned to retail after 16 years and is now working in Morrisons, Barry (Image: Catherine Wiggins)

Catherine Wiggins, 42, has returned to retail after 16 years as her work as a wedding photographer dried up.

"As you can imagine most of the weddings for this year have been shelved so I was looking for something to keep busy, and I love talking to people and this way I feel like I'm helping a bit.

"I worked in retail years ago so it's lovely to get back into it.

"I love chatting and helping others so this is great - for some people going to the shop might be the only bit of interaction they'll get in their week.

"I think everyone's got used to the lockdown guidance now. Everybody is used to queuing and being careful - it's almost becoming second nature.

"We've got things like screens up and gaps in the tills to make sure we're all keeping our distance too.

"It's been really nice for me too, going to work is getting out and seeing people. I've not been here long but it's a lovely company to work for.

Of these, 70% experienced anxiety and raised concerns, many were struggling on low pay and applying for Universal Credit and benefits to make ends meet, 29% have had Covid-19 related absences from work, because of illness, self-isolating or shielding, and the abuse of shopworkers was said to have doubled.

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “Shopworkers and their colleagues in the retail food supply chain are on the frontline of feeding the country during the current crisis. They are providing an essential service in very difficult circumstances, working long hours in busy stores, facing abuse from customers and of course concerned they may contract Covid-19 and pass it on to their family.

“The health and wellbeing of workers is paramount. Usdaw continues to work with employers to make sure there are effective measures in place to protect staff, but this survey clearly shows there is a lot more still to be done to ensure employees feel as safe as possible throughout this pandemic. Many respondents commented that they felt increasingly stressed and anxious and expressed concerns about the long term impact on their mental health.

“Employers need to listen to their staff and have a real and meaningful dialogue with their workforce. There are still too many employers who refuse to engage with trade unions, at a time when we need to be working together to get through this crisis. I pay tribute to our volunteer reps in workplaces across the country who have been helping members through the crisis and dealing with an unprecedented level of issues."